SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

SEEN AND HEARD UK CONCERT REVIEW

 

Schumann, Britten and Shostakovich: Nils Mönkemeyer (viola), Nicholas Rimmer (piano), Wigmore Hall, London, 15.3.2010 (BBr)

 

Schumann: Märchenbilder, op.113 (1851)

Britten: Lachrymae: Reflections on a Song of John Dowland, op.48 (1950)

Schumann: Adagio & Allegro in A♭, op.70 (1849) (version for viola and piano)

Shostakovich: Viola Sonata, op.147 (1975)

 

It was most satisfying, after hearing such a fine account of his 2^nd Symphony a few days ago, by the Philharmonia under Fabio Luisi, to have such superb performances of these two viola works by Schumann. The Märchenbilder (Fairy Tale Pictures) proved to be just that, light and spontaneous; the first was given a warmly, and passionately, lyrical reading, which was just about perfect, the middle piece was muscular and robust – if only more people understood, as do Mönkemeyer and Rimmer, that Schumann isn’t just a romantic dreamer but a composer with real weight to his music, as here – and the final piece was lyrical, loving and resigned. This was fabulous stuff indeed. Their performance of the Adagio & Allegro, originally for horn but working perfectly for viola, was tenderly lyrical in the first half and full of wild abandon in the latter.

Britten’s Lachrymae, written for William Primrose, is one of his meditations on older music – in this case John Dowland’s song, Flow my teares – and he exploits every facet of the tune in a kaleidoscope of invention. Beginning with a strong but never forceful way, the music moves through a discreet pizzicato variation, then picks up the tempo but  never obscures the 16^th century origins of its material. When the theme finally appears, towards the end – this is a set of variations in essence, searching for its theme – there was a poised serenity to the music and Mönkemeyer’s restraint brought about an ending of incandescent beauty.

Shostakovich’s Sonata was his final work but there is more to it than a resignation about the inevitability of death. The first movement contains a section of wild violence, within a setting of tranquility,  and our performers placed this episode perfectly in context, without it seeming to be an outburst which is at odds with its surroundings. The middle movement is an almost brutal scherzo, the usually mild voiced viola placed in a scene of carnage which does not prepare one for the acceptance and calm of the final Adagio, with its repeated quotation of the opening of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. Mönkemeyer and Rimmer played this final music with a nobility of spirit and simplicity of gesture. It was a magnificent performance, as indeed  was all their music making in this excellent show.

 

A word must be said for Rimmer’s fine notes in the programme book, succinct yet full of detail. Little things like this go a long way to making the performance an occasion, which this one most certainly was.

 

Bob Briggs